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July 28—NEW ALBANY — Bids will be accepted this fall for a more than $4.5 million construction project to widen McDonald Lane, and to add sidewalks along the roadway.

The improvements will stretch the span of McDonald Lane from Grant Line Road to Charlestown Road, and will also include new curbs, gutters and drainage upgrades. The project is being primarily funded through a federal grant, with New Albany responsible for 20 percent of costs.

“It was a well-received project at the public hearing,” said John Rosenbarger, public works project supervisor for the city.

The funds are controlled through the state, and the Indiana Department of Transportation will be responsible for selecting a contractor.

It’s a substantial project that’s expected to take two years to complete. A roundabout will be added at the intersection of Hickoryvale Drive, and the traffic light at Charlestown Road will be replaced.

A roundabout had been initially proposed for Oxford Drive, but Rosenbarger said the idea has been scrapped because a traffic circle wouldn’t properly align with the intersection. The three-way stop at the intersection will remain instead of a roundabout.

McDonald Lane will also be widened by about a foot, which officials said is needed for the narrow street.

“It’s an under-sized route as we speak,” Rosenbarger said.

There are no sidewalks along McDonald Lane, so the addition of paths will help pedestrian safety, he continued.

Though the improvements are needed, Rosenbarger cautioned the construction will be intense at times during the project. The contractor and city will work with residents affected by the work to make it as conducive to the public as possible, he added.

The city acquired about 90 slivers of property for the project, as the construction won’t require any structures or houses to be purchased and removed.

MT. TABOR PROJECT WON’T START UNTIL 2017

No homes or buildings will be needed for the Mt. Tabor project either, though construction won’t start until at least 2017.

Like the McDonald Lane improvements, the Mt. Tabor project is estimated to cost more than $4.5 million, and will be footed primarily through a federal grant.

Though it may take some time to complete, the city is fortunate to garner federal funds for two major road projects, Rosenbarger said.

The city is expected to begin the right-of-way phase for the Mt. Tabor work later this year. Final design for the project is nearing completion, Rosenbarger said Monday.

Originally the city proposed a roundabout for the intersection of Mt. Tabor Road and Klerner Lane, but that feature has been removed.

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